Weapons Complex Vol. 25 No. 21 Wrap Up: In Congress, In DOE
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Cleanup & Remediation
At Savannah River
SRNS Officially Names New President WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Fluor officially announced this week that Carol Johnson will be the next president and CEO of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the managing contractor for the Savannah River Site. WC Monitor first reported earlier this month that Johnson was set to replace Dwayne Wilson, who is expected to leave SRNS […]
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
At Portsmouth
Pro2Serve Drops Suit Against FBP WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Professional Project Services (Pro2Serve) has dropped a lawsuit filed against Fluor-B&W Portsmouth, LLC, the D&D contractor for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, though the terms of the suit’s resolution remain unclear. Pro2Serve had accused FBP in a suit filed in late March of improperly trying to take […]
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International
UK Cleanup Focus
Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 5/23/2014 GMB Union May Take Action Against Sellafield after Worker Upgrading The union GMB is considering taking action against Sellafield Limited after 400 health physics were upgraded to management, which took them out of GMB’s collective bargaining agreements. “The company has now decided that our members should be upgraded, but they […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
DOE Needs to Improve Estimating of Cost/Schedule, Cleanup Chief Says
Staff reports WC Monitor 5/23/2014 The Department of Energy needs to get to the bottom of why cost and schedule projections on its large projects are so often underestimated, David Huizenga, senior adviser for DOE’s Office of Environmental Management, said this week. “It bothers me to think that collectively we cannot do a better job […]
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Transuranic Waste
Meeting Los Alamos TRU Goal ‘Highly Unlikely’, New Mexico Official Says
State Working on Possible Consquences for DOE Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Though it is “highly unlikely” that Los Alamos will meet its June 30 deadline for transuranic waste removal, it is too early to tell what the consequences will be in efforts to renegotiate a consent order with the state of New Mexico concerning […]
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Transuranic Waste
After Damaged Drum Discovered, State Moves for WIPP Panel Closure
Decision Opposed by Rep. Pearce Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 5/23/2014 After the recent discovery in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant underground of a damaged waste drum that was cracked open, New Mexico has ordered the Department of Energy to develop plans to secure hundreds of similar drums at Los Alamos and close open panels at […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
New Details Emerge over URS’ Attempt to Be Terminated at SPRU D&D Project
Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 More details emerged this week over URS’ ultimately unsuccessful attempt last summer to be terminated from the Separations Process Research Unit (SPRU) D&D project. At issue was a contract modification (M035) reached with the Department of Energy in the wake of a set of contamination incidents that disrupted work at […]
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Transuranic Waste
DOE May Need an Extra $140 Million for WIPP Recovery Efforts in FY’15
Request May be ‘Heavy Lift’ for Lawmakers Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 5/23/2014 As Congressional appropriators prepare to mark up funding bills for Fiscal Year 2015, the Department of Energy has told lawmakers that about an extra $140 million may be needed for recovery efforts at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant next year, WC Monitor has learned. The […]
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Budget & Policy
E&W Gets Slight Boost in FY 2015 Senate Approps Subcommittee Allocations
Todd Jacobson WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Senate appropriators will have a little more breathing room to dole out money for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management in Fiscal Year 2015, according to the subcommittee allocations the Senate Appropriations Committee approved this week. The panel’s Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee will have $34.208 billion to […]
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High-Level & Tank Waste
As SWPF Startup Talks Drag On, DOE Suggests No New Deal Is Necessary
Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 5/23/2014 As talks on a new commissioning agreement for the Savannah River Site’s Salt Waste Processing Facility stretch past eight months, a DOE official this week emphasized that a new startup deal is not necessary to begin operations. DOE and SWPF construction contractor Parsons are in talks to improve upon an […]
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Contracts & Procurement
DOE Search for New LM Contractor to Stretch On
GAO Upholds One of Two Protests Filed Against Portage’s Win Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 The Department of Energy’s long search for a new support services contractor for the Office of Legacy Management took another turn late this week, when the Government Accountability Office upheld one of two protests filed over DOE’s second decision to […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
DOE Cleanup Program Going on Hiring Spree
Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Thanks to a boost in funding, the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management is looking to add more than 100 new staff in “several mission critical areas,” according to a memorandum issued late this week by EM’s new No. 2 official, Mark Whitney. While EM’s workforce has fallen below […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Ports. D&D Project Has Most Open DOE Enforcement Investigations
Hanford Vit Plant Comes in Second Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 The Portsmouth D&D project has the most open Department of Energy investigations underway in the DOE cleanup program, according to documents WC Monitor obtained this week. The DOE Office of Enforcement is in the midst of three investigations—that could result in financial penalties— tied to incidents […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Concerns Grow over Savannah River Operations and Engineering Issues
Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Concerns over numerous recent operations and engineering issues at the Savannah River Site are growing in both the Department of Energy and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The Department of Energy’s Savannah River Operations Office sent a letter last month to the site’s managing contractor, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, […]
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Budget & Policy
Rep. Hastings Successfully Boosts EM Funds in FY’15 Defense Auth. Bill
House Approved Defense Policy Measure This Week Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) was successful in adding a small boost to cleanup funding in the House version of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act before the full House approved the bill late this week. An amendment offered by Hastings to […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
House Approves Bill That Would Lower DNFSB Employee Cap
Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Despite White House opposition, the House approved a measure late this week that would significantly lower the maximum number of employees at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The House version of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act would cut the maximum number of employees the DNFSB has […]
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High-Level & Tank Waste
Officials Pledge to Get to ‘Final Answer’ on Hanford Tank Vapors
Mike Nartker WC Monitor 5/23/2014 Top Department of Energy and contractor officials from Hanford said this week they are working to achieve “a final answer” to address long-standing concerns over tank vapors at the site. Savannah River National Laboratory has been tasked with conducting a review of the issue after more than 25 workers at […]